According to OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, about 6.5 million people work on construction sites in the U.S. on any given day.
While all construction site tools and equipment should be used with the utmost caution, some have proven to be more hazardous than others. These most hazardous tools and equipment, resulting in a serious accident includes:
- Ladders
- Saws
- Scaffolds
- Nail Guns and Power Drills
- Cranes
Though saws, scaffolds, nail guns and power drills, and cranes can be extremely dangerous, the most dangerous equipment found on construction sites is something that you may just have in your house or garage: a ladder.
Dangers of Working with a Ladder
Construction workers who suffer an injury in a ladder accident may be left with broken bones, bruises, spinal cord injuries, and head injuries among others. Falls on ladders or stairways account for almost 25,000 construction site injuries and about 360 fatalities per year. According to The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPRW), falls are the greatest cause of fatal construction injuries. Almost 50 percent of ladder accidents and injuries were serious enough to warrant both medical treatment as well as extended time off.
How to Reduce Your Risk of Ladder Accidents
In 2018 the CPRW released a Ladder Hazard Alert a describing how to avoid a fall from a ladder. Here are some safety tips that may help workers to avoid ladder accidents and injuries:
- Pay attention to what the manufacturer says about using the ladder (i.e. read the instructions, duty rating, etc. on the ladder).
- Always face the ladder when going up or down it.
- Always place the base of the ladder on a firm, even, and non-slippery surface
- Always inspect the ladder before using it.
- Remove any debris on the rungs of the ladder.
- Isolate your construction site from any type of traffic (e.g. people or vehicles).
- Workers should always maintain 3 points of contact on a ladder (either two hands and one foot, or one hand and two feet).
- Scope out the environment and be sure to avoid any existing power lines if possible.
- Always use the right height ladder-type for the job (e.g. extension ladder, stepladder, etc.).
- Implement fall protection.
Every person is entitled to work in a safe environment – (taking into consideration the nature of the job). Sometimes it can prove difficult to report safety hazards to managers and those higher up the ladder.
With that in mind, you can file an anonymous complaint with OSHA, explaining the safety issue, so that the administration can inspect the company’s site without disclosing who reported it. This eliminates the chance of retaliation against an employee. The complaint should be filed as soon as possible after noticing the hazard or lack of compliance. If you have initiated a lawsuit surrounding a fall from a ladder or other piece of construction equipment, but worry about your ability to keep up with all of your expenses, USClaims can help provide the financial support you need.
At USClaims, we offer pre-settlement funding, if a case is qualified for pre-settlement funding then we would purchase a portion of the proceeds of the anticipated court judgment or settlement for some cash now. USClaims only gets paid if a case is won or has reached a settlement! Apply now or call us today at 1-877-USCLAIMS to learn more.
